FAITH COLUMN: Dancing in the rain — let God renew you
Published 7:48 am Thursday, September 19, 2013
By Amanda Ackerman
A new season is upon us to learn how to dance in the rain. Spiritual droughts can lead to spiritual death but thunderstorms can bring life renewing rain. Rain washes away the dust in our life. It replants the field with moisture that helps with the harvest.
Sometimes we have to wait in the storm to learn to dance and rejoice in the harvest.
The rain renews our souls and satisfies our thirst. But sometimes we have to wait patiently by standing still and quiet in the midst of the storm to get a clear understanding of what God is doing in our lives. He says to be anxious for nothing but pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6-7) Just like the raging seas in the Bible, Jesus spoke and calmed the ocean. When we are in the midst of our raging seas, He comes to where we are and speaks peace into our storm. (Matthew 8:23-27)
Even as Jesus died on the cross He had peace in His Father. He entrusted God to take Him into paradise along with the criminal that was crucified next to Him. Breathing His last breath, He called out to His Father in peace, entrusting Him with His spirit. (Luke 23:46)
That had to be the hardest thing I can imagine is what my Savior did for you and I, dying on that cross. But He did. When he died, everything I have faced, am facing, and will face is covered in His loved and washed in His blood. I have peace that He will be there on the other side for me as I too have entrusted Him with my spirit. That’s perfect peace that surpasses all understanding.
He pours His rain in the most trying times as well as the in times of rejoicing. Standing both in the storm , dancing in the rain, or rejoicing in the sunshine, there is peace.
We do not always know what God is doing and start to question whether He is really there, but He is. And because He is, there is always peace.
Whatever it is you are facing; family conflicts, problems at school, addictions, disobedient children, divorce, broken heartedness, sickness, financial problems, loss of a loved one or just depressed and ready to give up in the middle of your storm, be still and let God’s rain pour peace into your life. All you have to do is stand still and ask. He is right there holding onto you. He loves you and died for you. (John 3:16) Being in need of peace and searching,
I encourage you to stop and take a moment and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and come into your life as your Savior and give you that peace He is ready to release into your life. We cannot do this by ourselves. We were not created to storm in the storm alone. You were not standing by yourself yesterday, you are not standing by yourself today and you will not be standing by yourself tomorrow. Let Him stand in the storm with you and let His peace rain into the harvest that He is waiting to sow into your life.